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CONTRA
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
COSTA
FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR UNTY
DATE: December 3, 1998 ----- -
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF RADAR BY THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL
ON STATE HIGHWAYS IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
SPECIFIC REQUEST($)OR RECOMMENDATIONS)&BACKGROUND AM JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE the use of radar by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) on State highways within
Contra Costa County and DIRECT the County Administrator to send a letter to the CHP indicating
the Board's position.
BACKGROUND:
The CHP is proposing to allow the use of radar guns on State highways in the Bay area to assist
in enforcing the maximum speed limit. The CHP has asked the County to endorse this proposal
and to submit a letter of endorsement.
Radar guns have been used on county roads in the unincorporated area of the County for several
years. The Board has felt the use of radar was so important to reducing speed on county roads
that the County paid for the purchase of radar guns for every CHP enforcement unit in the County
in fiscal year 1997-98.
The CHP points out that the use of radar guns is a safety issue since it avoids the need for the
CHP officer to match the speed of the speeding vehicle in order to document that the individual
is breaking the law.
The use of radar guns is also seen as a preventive measure which can assist in the voluntary
compliance With the maximum speed law when drivers know that radar guns are or might be in
use.
We are, therefore, recommending that the Board endorse the CHP's plan and authorize the
sending of the attached letter to the CHP.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: _YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE13):
ACTION OF BOARD ON Demmber8. 1998 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED XX OTHER
VOTEOF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
VNANIMOUS(ABSENT N AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES,TTSTV,V,T NOES. AND ENTERED ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: TTT ABSTAIN, OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
cc: County Administrator ATTESTED npr-embpr S., 1 2C)a
Sheriff-Coroner PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Captain Noble, CHP (Via CAO) SUPMVI 41RS,AND couNnyAoMINISTRATOR,
BY _PEPUTY
County Administrator Contra Board of Supervisors
JimCosta Ist Rogers
County Administration Building tst District
651 Pine Street, 11 th Floor Gayle B.Ulikema
Martinez,California 94553-1229 County 2nd District
(510)335-1080 Donna Gerber
FAX:(510)335-1098 3rd District
Phil Batchelor Mark DeSaulnier f � - 4th District
County Administrator '
• Joe Canclamills
5th District
November 12, 1998 __.
Captain Tom Noble, Commander
California Highway Patrol
Contra Costa Area
5001 Blum Road
Martinez, CA 94553
Dear Captain Noble:
Contra Costa County fully supports your proposal to expand the California
Highway Patrol's countywide radar program to include all freeways within the
county. We agree that freeway deployment will enhance your department's
ability to enforce the maximum speed limit on this important segment of our
regional transportation system.
Moreover, radar deployment has proven to have the side benefit of increasing
voluntary compliance with the speed laws throughout the county. A greater level
of voluntary compliance on the freeways will undoubtedly result in fewer
accidents and, therefore, less accident related congestion.
Contra Costa County and the CHP have a long history of success with radar
speed enforcement on county roads. That success was the driving force that
convinced the county to finance the purchase of radar units for every CHP
enforcement vehicle assigned within our county in fiscal years 1997/98. 1 am
certain that the freeway program will prove just as successful and effective in
protecting the lives of Contra Costa County motorists.
Sincerely,
Phil Batchelor
County Administrator
C1HPsed '0 �_T 0=� on 100 1-0-1..1113, 1=11 6mwai
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sights tail � � �� ro � M0 � W •CA
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■East Bay freeway _
speeders may be targeted Z; S W ro a T
by the devices soon b` CL M
By Renitsa.S'►,ando5ham
TIMES STAFF WEtPM O G fiy 4 ¢ O p' p p 00
MART'TNEZ—Lead-footed mo-
torists an East Bay freeways could ro o G '1 °,
soon face radar guns under several ro ro M•o F,
proposals being considered by Cali- �, o Cn , �? ro ro ro
fornix Highway Patrol officials.
c ° Q c c
Already in use on roads in unin- o ry -;I � - �'9 A %~ ro
corporated areas and two-lane un- o •° @
divided highways,radar is said to cut
down on the number of speed-related ,, m ro cra ag • o
accidents. w 0 :
a Ci ro
"if the conventional method of en- o
forcement is not doing the job,at that o CO ro ;a � o ro
point we use other tools to bring peo- ' i° CC `° CD `°` ' -,
ple into compliance," said CliffC, ro �, �, 10 ,, r
Kroeger,s okesman the CHP office o o R 00 o w ro' Baa �
0 CL
in Contra Costa which intends to �' " 0 ro
free0.n2 2
seek ways approval i sjurisdiction,includ- o o r-
ing Interstate 680 from Danville to o
the Benicia bridge,1-80 from Pinole ; �ea ,
to the Carquinez Bridge and High- o r.
way 24. Pim crow . ' roc
Kroeger said it could be months ro i otAo
before officers begin using the radar
guns in Contra Costa.The proposal,
which has not been completed,must , M a c
be approved by the CHP s Bay Area o '
division office and headquarters in
Sacramento before it can be imple-
mented,Kroeger said. 'r-0 6.;• o w K
Local CHP officials also will seek :3
aero .�
support from county supervisors for Q , m ro g , c o
G o
using radar.While the CHP is not re-
quired to seek county support,it rou- ro
tinely does so. , ro ° E� Rc o a .- -3
Other Bay Area CHP jurisdictions g•M o. 2 a o ro 8 "r Cr c
want to use radar guns on freeway,, �, � c
See RADAR, Back Page M c � � �r� � 1
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